Sufjan Stevens performed his concert/commission BQE (based on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Robert Moses' controversial architectural swan song) at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in October 2007, along with a concert of his songs to go with it. The piece -- Sufjan, hula-hoopers, a 35-piece band and orchestra, and live film projections -- was considered a huge success by all who saw it, or as the New York Times' Jon Pareles wrote: "Mr. Stevens has emerged from indie rock as a mastermind of extravaganzas ... the commission ... allowed Mr. Stevens to think bigger, and he exploited it superbly." If you couldn't be there for that time Sufjan drew another fine fabric from "indie rock" and pulled it through "fine arts," you can now relive the magic at home. Opening shots, and hidden track dish after the jump.

Inside the package -- nice, weighted, pretty! -- are two discs; one, the DVD of the film, the other, the audio score, and a booklet, the centerpiece of which is a six-page essay on the hula-hoop, Robert Moses, and the BQE. It's pretty impressive. For the $18 price tag when it comes out on October 18, it's worth shelling out for hardcore fans. More casual ones might not be interested. The film's a three-paneled lens of various imagery from the BQE, interspersed with footage from the hula-hoopers, and not much else. Beautiful imagery, but yes: it's an orchestral composition, meaning, no lyrics ... until the bonus "track" at the end of the DVD, that is. After the credits roll, there's one more lyric-less track that sounds very blip-rock-y. The lyrics on it begin: "Wake up, wake up you sleepy-headed wolves / your time has come to be altered in stars." It would seem to be a track, until this point, unreleased! Fun! It's a wonderful song. Not $18 wonderful, but wonderful nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Sufjan's about to head off on a fall tour of intimate venues, like New York's Bowery Ballroom, which might be the hottest indie rock ticket there since The National did a five-night run. Tickets go on sale Saturday, dates for the rest of the shows after the BQE trailer, below.

THE BQE- A Film By Sufjan Stevens from Asthmatic Kitty on Vimeo.

Sufjan Stevens Tour Dates: 09-12 Monticello, NY - ATP New York 09-21 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's 09-22 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's 09-23 Ithaca, NY - Castaways 09-24 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom 09-25 Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Ballroom 09-26 Champaign, IL - The High Dive 09-27 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar 09-28 Madison, WI - The Majestic 09-29 Bloomington, IN - Buskirk Chumley 10-01 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Place 10-02 Montreal, Quebec - Cabaret 10-03 Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall 10-04 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom 10-05 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom 10-06 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg 10-07 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
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